Short Shorts are called Stubbies.

It seems the longer you live here, the shorter the shorts. I'm hoping Spook will be here long enough to get a pair like Roddy Sinclairs!! I see all the old farmers wearing these, with fine brown legs and rolled down socks.

Roddy has been up in McKenzie Country for the last 14 days - probably drove past our camp site a few times, and we didn't know. There was an earthquake there at the weekend. Roddy said it sounded like a train racing towards them, and the house rocked from side to side. I wonder what that would have felt like in a tent!!!!!

Spook occupied this day off by going back up yesterdays hill with Ollie, this time. Thankfully, though very fit, Ollie is not as fit as Josh. I think Spook might be glad to get back to work tomorrow. He is on for 6 days now, as Murray has something on. Roddy will head back up the West Coast and we will see them in Nelson in 2 weeks.

Happy Spook

While I scrubbed a house that looked like it belonged in Tuscany/Dundee student land ( I haven't seen a place that messy, greasy, and mouse pooed since I was a student), Spook occupied his day off with a run up Mt Iron followed by a wee cycle with Josh. ~They came home very hungry at 7pm, but very happy. Finn enjoyed his rowing, which is still very difficult, but he is enjoying the challenge. He finished with a dip in the water as he was soaked anyway. Meg enjoyed some time with Michaela and spent a lot of time working on projects and reading. I'll let the photos do the talking for Spook. He cycled up The Crown Range and back down over the Snow Farm.

The Ginger Hobbit.

We went for a wee hike (tramping as they call it here). Over by Lake Hawea. It involved 4 river crossings within a very short distance, and Meg lost patience with it as well as her footing. Spook fished along the ways, but the crossings and the sandflies got the better of us. I have never experienced them before. It was beautifully warm and windy - not autumnal at all. At least midges don't thole wind. Sandflies don't bother you at all when your moving, but move in for the kill as soon as you stop. Finn was like a bare-footed, Celtic-supporting Hobbit. He loved making the crossings and running ahead to see where the next one was. I'm not really sure if Meg threw herself into the water in despair, desperation, to drive us home, or by genuine accident! Finn wants to go back to explore further, when Meg is otherwise occupied.

Finn's constant wearing of his Celtic shirts is good at uncovering closet Scots. They guy at the recycling centre, who hailed from Arbroath 5 years ago, stopped to discuss the state of play for the true hero's of the game. Dundee United. I saw Finn pointing over to tell him I supported them too. When walking through the supermarket, where all Causcaseans look like they hail from Britain, but came a couple of generations ago, a man said out of the side of his mouth, "Gaun yersel', wee man!" There will come a time when we will have to buy him some new clothes. I think he might look like a Celtic supporter no matter what we dress him though.

Golden Hands - Just Like Granny.

While Spook was fishing today, we went to the recycling centre. More for some real support of our economic situation, than the old brouse-around. I bought a $70 school jumper, a long sleeved school shirt, (thinking of winter coming), long socks to keep Finn's smelly feet at bay, track suit bottoms for school, a couple of nice linen shirts (wearing one in picture), a set of scales that don't work, (at least I bloody hope not at THAT weight), a personal organisor for Meg, (as if she needs one when she has me!!!!)....all for $25. The crotch of the tracky bottoms needs a bit of sewing and I found a big hole in the socks. I just thought that if someone had gone to the bother of recycling them, they were worthy of doing so. Luckily, I have darning skills. Spook was very scathing, but with a tennis ball, needle, some wool and 'golden hands', there was no stopping me. Please do double click on the picture to admire the results.

Fish Therapy

Spook had to nip into work to help avoid a disaster and then got some fishing in, nearby. A new plus is that his 4 day partner - Murray - has been given his own vehicle so Spook can keep his jeep when he is off. No fish were biting, but he was pretty relaxed when he got home. The country is looking pretty arid away from the water sources.

The Perfect Mail Box

So this is where your bank cards go and your pin numbers and every thing. If you go on holiday, you CAN ask them to hold your mail. I'm sure they have a very good Neighbourhood Watch.

Finn and Thomas rowed as a duo this morning in a bit of a swell. It was a struggle to not tip over, but not as bad as Finns personal struggle with needing a pee!

We watched the documentary of The Perfect Woman. We saw Finn stroll by in the background, and caught sight of Spook, Meg and Dan Morgan, who was visiting at the time. We got the low-down on the history. Started as a pub promotion and then became a charity to raise money for a cancer treatment. When asked how he responded to the people who said it was sexist, he said that it started when a friend who owned a holiday castle in Scotland said he only hired Kiwi girls to work for him. He didn't know any other people who could scrub floors in the morning and then polish up and smile at the customers at night. It made him think that Kiwi girls were the perfect women. I remember back more than 20 years ago, and sure enough, it was Kiwi's who were the extra labour force in The Highlands, not Polish people.

Friday Feeling.

Hmm, will probably stay at home for coffee next time. I was wooed to the poo works by the promise of exotic coffee. Lot's of scary noises blurted from the machine as it ground beans and squeezed some black liquid into a cup. The meagre offering of milk from the fridge, did not froth, but slowly fill up with warm water until I had blue milk. No froth, no noise, no wonder Steve put it in the office and out of his appartment.
I didn't take any photos of mail boxes as it rained and rained. Any parcels left on top would have dissolved today. Since last nights blog, I have recieved one report of a possible lost parcel. It might arrive yet.
I lit the stove tonight for psychological reasons rather than the cold. It was fairly warm rain.
Meg and I went next door for a glass of wine and to watch Wild at Heart on their big screen. A shaky truce is holding this week. I have read the chapter on teenage emotional swings and know how to deal with them now.............
The boys stayed home and watched King Arthur.
Weather is to pick up again tomorrow, so Finn might get out on the water with the rowing. On Thursday he had to do core body excercises as it was too windy, so we are checking his 6 pack 3 times a week now, to see how it is progressing. Thomas is staying the night with us tomorrow. I always try to be a good disciplinarian when Thomas is here, as he is the most well brought up boy I have ever met. Finn always looks fearful he will have to jump in the shower before tea every night, wash the dishes and sweep the driveway. Thomas has been working on Finns table manners, but is beginning understand the futility. He is always happy enough to stay, so our wild and woolly ways are obviously not too offensive.

Poo Scented Coffee

The run to Cromwell was lovely in the morning light. It is fruit country. It was just a quick pick up and return, so we managed coffee at home together when he dropped me off. But it'll be coffee at the poo works the next opportunity. Things have gone up market there since his boss moved to town and can't get Broadband at his appartment. He has to make his office at the works, in the scabby wee portacabin, and has upgraded it as much as possible by installing his coffee machine. Complete with milk frother, and grinder for beans. He also supplied Spook with a new tool. An air rifle for shooting vermin!

I came home from town to find the mail scattered accross the yard. A gust of wind must have blown through the box and puffed the letters out the other side. Yesterday I found the postie, who drives up and down all the grass verges without ever getting off his bike, balancing my parcels on the top of the mail box. And there they would have stayed all day, had I been working, until I came home, or someone who sensed that the whole series of Twilight was encased within, took a fancy to them. If I remember, I must go and take a photograph of the mail boxes in Albert Town which are all at the end of the street, because the posties haven't learnt where all the houses are yet. Most of the boxes are not locked and apparently things don't go missing!

A taste of Scotland.

A consignment of books and Oban Times arrived today. Thanks Auntie Al! I now have bookish children. Finn reads Twilight when Meg is not, and she reads it when ever she feels like nabbing it off him as she ordered it and has top priority. I read 3 Oban Times in a row while Meg was out and Finn was embroiled in the book. Total silence apart from the odd question about a word or two. Spook is sprawled on the floor reading sports results from February and checking out the West Highland Wheelers times to see how the competition is doing.

I worked for 3 hours today, which is the sum total of my weeks work. This is very pleasant in the free time stakes, but not very good financially!! I worked on a wee painting today and tomorrow I COULD go out on the road bike, or I could go to Cromwell with my husband who has to pick up a package there. I still quite like him and as he is iether working extra days, or I work when he's off, we are still not getting the time together we'd hoped for. ( I have a short memory, obviously, but sitting in a car doesn't seem too strenuous).

In the photo here, Finn is helping to put the tent away. He slept in his hat and woke up looking like this. Cool as.

Munro's in Mckenzie High Country.

It's not that it was cold - camping in the Mckenzie Country in autumn, but Meg doesn't like to take chances.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful for days now. Cool in the mornings, and coolish in the shade, but warm as toast in the sunshine. There is also a dew on the car in the morning now, whereas you could hang your washing out at night and it would be dry in the morning, a week or so ago.

I think Finn is checking out the blog here, to see what I say about him. I've kind of kept them away from the blog before now, so that I can talk about them behind their backs!!!! He is reading through the scenario of the rugby/rowing situation and confirming that I tell no porkie pies.

I had a day off today, and took the chance to catch up on a few things. It's been good to have the work, but I do like a wee bit of time at home alone to catch up on things. Would love more time to do some drawing, amongst other things.

Boys Training Night.

Finn rowed way out into the middle of the loch and was just a distant dot. He made it back again, so that's good. The team committment is still there.
Spook went out for a "fun ride" with Josh. He said it was like being out with Ruari Watt - Josh bunny hopped over everything and rode up and down every hill in the vicinity with speed and skill and enthusiasm and Spook crawled home and into his bed, 4 hours later. Not sure what he'll do when Josh wants to go out for a "serious training session".

Mckenzie High Country

It wasn't a bad place to have a birthday.

Happy Birthday To Me!!

Quick Blog - low Battery in The High Country

We are camping in Mckenzie High Country tonight. It's beautiful, but my signal is poor and my battery is running low, so I will post lot's of photos tomorrow. Mt Cook looks magnificent and it's wonderfully peaceful. Only 90mins from home. So that I can celebrate my 45th birthday somewhere different. We are all off on Monday because it is Otago day. It is 161 years old tomorrow. Bit older than me.

The Terrible Things Parents Make Their Children Do

Finn got up to go rowing and was faced with a new dilemma. Thomas phoned to check he was going and reminded him that as they were now a quad, if he didn't row, they didn't row. Peer pressure took over and now he has to commit 3 times a week until the 14th of April, when we go to Nelson in the Easter holidays. Really, there are worse prospects. He is rowing with Thomas, Bailey and Josh, and the wee guy in the back is the 'caller', who is the coaches son. He will also play rugby with Thomas and Josh, so it's not a bad thing to build the team spirit. There was a lot of talking and negotiating on the boat as they struggled along. It was like the United Nations. Thomas has an English mother, Bailey is from the North Island, (which makes him foreign to the Southerners), Josh is Maori (his father is ex All Black, John Timu and the rugby coach) and our own wee Scot.

In the afternoon, the children persuaded me to go swimming in Bremner Bay. Meg suggested I wear Spooks wetsuit so that I would actually get in the water. I did so and was disappointed it wasn't fully waterproof! I walked down the shore looking like I was going to swim to Ruby Island and back but barely got wet above the waist. I have upgraded my profile picture to show the true athlete that I have become.

Right....That's IT!!!!

Poor wee Finn went to bed thinking he never had to row a boat again and would spend winter learning hockey, and would be nipping over to Queenstown on Saturday morning to get his much longed for, and saved for, Lord of The Rings x-box game, no strings attached.
He awoke to a full on assault of how I was a bad mum for not making him keep committments, so he had to row on Saturday, would not be going any where NEAR Queenstown if he didn't, and we would be finding out if it wasn't too late to register for Rugby. He tried a slight wobbly lip, caught the look of determination on my face, said he would do the rowing, was pleased about the rugby and gave me a big hug. We wrote to the rowing club to say he would be there, but may not continue after Saturday, and had phoned and secured a late registration for rugby by 8.10am. He then secured a committment from me that we would go to Queenstown TONIGHT. Done deal, and he went to school happy.

Ooooooooh, I keep getting it Wrong!!!!!

Parents night was a huge success. The children came with me when I met their teachers and it was great to see the rapport that they have with each other. I came away thinking it was a terrific school. All teachers acknowledge that they don't know how to teach dyslexic children (Johanna has 4 in her class), but all are keen to understand and to keep the children talking to them about it. The low-slung washboard buildings set in leafy quadrants with cosy bench seating around the place has avery good ambiance. I met a few of Megs friends I hear her talk about, and realise that although they are missing friends and family at home, they do have a pretty good place to sit it out in.
But I am a confusing and indecisive Mum where Finn is concerned. I have been pushing hard for him to take up a team sport and get more involved. He tried rowing and gave up on the first night. I simply could not persuade him to continue. He should have been there tonight and I just got a late e-mail in showing his quad for training with. A great wee group, that has now become a 3 as he's quit!!! I said he should sign up for Rugby and then my neighbour said that it gets in the way of the ski season and he will miss out on all his ski days. He said he didn't want this, so we missed registration tonight. Then my boss e-mailed and said her son reckons it's a short season at Finn's level and that the hockey that we were now pondering was no different with interfering with the ski season, and isn't rugby the more kiwi experience? Could I persuade Finn to go rowing on Saturday, even though he insists he's not a boat kind of guy?, because maybe he will have a better session than on Monday and will now love it? Should I try and get him registered for rugby, even though I've missed the date? Should I refuse to take him to Queenstown on Saturday, to buy the game he desperately wants, until AFTER the rowing? Is this bad parenting or necessary parenting? Why do all these other children just turn up and do it and mine resist with all their might?

Sun Up.

It is noticebly darker every morning. The sun began to light up the clouds at 7.30am this morning.
The rain came on about 10.30am and was fairly torrential, but wjen the sun came out, it was really warm. It's dark around 8.30pm and closing in more every night.
My tomatoes are rippening quickly now, but don't taste particularly interesting! But they are bought and paid for, so there will be none from the shops until mine are all gone - and they are plentiful.
The childrens parents night is tomorrow. Both of them say they really like their class group, which warms the cockles and mussels of my over-strained heart. Finn has the same teacher, Johanna, as Meg had last year. He feels that she keeps a wee eye out for him. He is mostly taught by her in The Home Room, as he is in intermediate school. He has another teacher called Mr Hose, who he says is from Raasay! I think I need to enquire about that - surely he means Rothesay? Meg has Miss Bradley for PE and Health. She is Pete's wife, who took us rafting, and is English. She is cool - must go with the name! (Finn had a lovely Miss Bradley in Fort William for a week and got really excited about learning for the first time).
Finn is going to register for Rugby training tomorrow. It's time he applied his excellent hand/eye coordination to a sport (he took up juggling at home yesterday, via the internet, and although is showing a natural ability, I hesitate to call it sport). And he may as well try one which the Kiwis are quite good at.

Labour and Love

It has been quite an ongoing time of supporting my children to overcome challenges. The biggest one - being over here!! At least I can draw on the pain I felt when I was homesick in Paris at 18 and China at 23. And that pain was always at it's worst when I was struggling with specific issues. And for all I desperately wanted to come home, I didn't, and I look back on those experiences with warmth at the good times and pride that I managed to sit out the bad times. And those experiences helped me to cope with new experiences with more confidence. So although Spook and I go through the torture of wondering if we did the right thing by tearing our children away from their close community and throwing them into a completely knew one, I know that with love and support, we will come through each difficult phase, and be stronger as a family for it. Because here, we have only ourselves to count on. At home, they have an extended circle of support - when one door closes, another opens.

Meg keeps a few mothers up her sleeve, and Finn had at least 3 other houses in the neighbourhood that he could take shelter in, when the going got tough.

But there's always a bit of hard labour over here. That has great healing properties, and gets the place tidied up. As they like to say over here, when they are trying to offer comfort............

"She'll be right".

Pretendy Terrier

Spook relaxed on his last day off, by cycling to the top of the Crown Range. This is the view before the descent into Queenstown - just seen in the picture. He did about 80km.

Reading about the Mototapu in todays paper, we got the truth in the rumour we had heard that someone died in the race. a 55 year old policeman had a heartattack, and died on the track. Very sad.

Also read that the Deputy Prime Minister was racing. He managed a 4hr 58min time (Spook was 3hrs 6secs). He said he "saw a lot of bottoms, but unfortuanely not the bottom of the recession".

I also read that there was a bit of a furore at the very popular Terrier Race at the Show on Saturday. 9000 gathered to watch as a fantastically fast wee doggie shot round the track and beat the lot. He was disqualified when it transpired that he was a non-terrier of unknown breed. "The imposters owner was embarrassed and slunk away quickly at the end of the race" Rusty,the true winner, performed well, compared with the majority who iether sat down on the command to go, or turned and left the field. The scene quickly became one of yapping dogs and frantic owners calling them to heel. Sorry I missed it.

Peace at Diamond Lake

Meg is finding her own way to inner peace and trying to take us all with her. We have a way to go, but she seems to be getting there!!

We had a lovely family day. Meg found a push along mower hidden in the long grass and she and Finn fought over turns to cut the grass. It's looking great. She got sunburn on her shoulders at the Show yesterday, so we nipped up to the recycling centre and got her this hat for $3. She tied it back with a picture of a beautiful Kentish Cat called Mr Boo. Once the heat of the day had passed, we went up Rocky Mountain to the view point above Diamond Lake. That's us looking down on the dark lake, with the trees beginning to change and the reflection of the clouds. Finn and Spook were doing their Calendar Girls Tai Chi, but Meg was still on the yoga moves. Thankgoodness for Meg's yoga Guru, Shannon. Spook was very relaxed because he still has another day off tomorrow. Not that same need to do stuff. We breakfasted together, lunched together and had a late dinner. Despite coming all this way to spend time together, we still don't seem to find enough time. Re the Mototatpu results, Josh was actually 18th overall, but 4th in his category. Spook slipped from about 110th last year (out of 2500) to 2oo and something-th. He will be wanting to use NZ time to make a difference next year.

Shades of Home

It was a very beautiful day today. Very clear and warm. I took the gentlemen to the start of the race, finn to the show with his friends, Meg to the show to meet up with friends and then had my hair dyed. Meg says it is awful and bleached. I think it is not colourless with grey bits, therefore is still an improvement.
It was a fantastic drive over the Crown Range to the end of the race in Arrowtown. There is a clarity that might be the beginning of autumn and there is a slight yellowing of leaves on some of the trees. The grass is mostly golden with the dryness anyway, and there are patches of bright green irrigated fields. Spook nearly enjoyed his race, despite feeling sick and taking about 20mins longer than last year. Josh stopped to take photos and was a bit disappointed to realise that he was a minute and 20secs off 3rd place overall.
The children all had a good day, and tonight is the first time in a week that Meg's spirits have lifted. I would be pleased to find a way to not be so severely affected by the ups and downs in her life and relationships, but I don't know if it's possible. Things can change very quickly in a teenagers life, which is why it's been surprising that this upset has lasted so long and happened so abruptly after our happy little scene of all the children getting on so well after camp, last week. We still don't have normal relations resumed with Meg and Michaela, but a bit of space is quite a good thing when we live so close.
I drove Josh back to his campsite home at a bay round the corner and the evening sky was pale blue, with everything in silhouette. There was a light Scotch Mist lying across the road and as we drove down towards the bay, the lake was a perfect reflection of the sky above. Reminded me of Loch Lomond on a perfect September night.

Emotional See-saws.

I ended up mostly cancelling the pasta party as we were having a wee crisis last night, where my lovely daughter was struggling with her relationships next door. I lay awake for most of the night worrying about her and decided I didn't have the energy to create, clean and serve for the Mototapu masses. So we had David (No Fuss winner) to stay as planned, Josh, the ultra-fit young man who we'll give a lift to and from the event tomorrow and Shannon and See-am, Finn's school mate, so that I had some company to beat off all the bike talk with. Meg was delighted to get a bit of time with her Yoga Guru and Sam ended up staying over with Finn at Max's house. This is good for Sam AND Finn to broaden their horizons, and the very lovely Thomas phoned Finn and asked him to meet him at the A&P Show in town tomorrow. (Local Agricultural Show). I had to accept that I had blotted my social hostess copy book, just as I had actually invited people over for the first time! They were all very forgiving as it was a pretty casual affair any way as everyone has to be ready for tomorrow's race. Meg's ok, but life is not easy as a teenager! Spook will be glad to have the last of his 4 days off on Monday - a day when we will all be at school or work! I'll be hoping for more than 2 hrs sleep tonight.

Blhr.

Warm again. Long trousers yesterdays concern. Spook beginning his next stint of 4 days off, and it coincides with 3 days for me. I've done 26 hours of my profession as my boss is on a girls trip in Christchurch so I've been my own supervisor. I don't see a soul all day until I go and get my coffee at the nearby cafe!
Got the wee pasta party tomorrow night, so 1st of the four will be spent cleaning and cooking.

Kayataurs.

All quiet on the Southern Front. Everyone tired from our efforts last night and not enough sleep. We came through the Kuwara Gorge and River, which is a swirling torrent in aqua marine. Looking up at the rugged mountains above, I had the feeling Indians were watching us. Pete knew his river well, and it was amazing how he understood what was coming and what we needed to do to negotiate it. However, I don't have a photo of that as we were all clinging onto the raft, so I'm putting up a picture of the road up to Treble Cone Ski Fields as seen from Mt Roy. Don't think I'll be going up THERE. Spook tells me that the road to Cardrona, where we have season tickets, is just as bad!!!

Cold winds today and more snow on the hills. Snowing in Dunedin this morning. People not happy with their summer at all. It SHOULD be warm until May, they tell me. Last night, there was strong sunshine, grey skies and big rainbows on the way to the Gorge. Very Autumnal, but the trees haven't changed colours as the ground is wet. Despite the cold appearance of everything last night, the water wasn't icy at all. Not that we went in, but there was plenty of face fulls. We went to the clubs local pub in Cromwell for huge plates of communal chips afterwards. When I saw how small the youngest boy was, I couldn't believe he had come down that river in a kayak. Each person in the water looked as if the kayak was part of their body, they were so in tune Like Centaurs, or maybe Kayataurs.. As we all travelled down together, it was amazing that every one moved so fast and smoothly, without an engine. In a boiling hole, someone looked as if he was in trouble, his boat pointing straight up to the sky, but it was just a stunt. The 13yr old girl who Meg knows from school - Jessie - rolled in the water, was submerged for too long, I thought, and rolled back up, grinning.

They certainly earned their chips!

Fire lit tonight and Spook is going to need to go to Queenstown to find some trousers and warmer clothes. He has worn trousers once since we came here, when we had a day of sleat in November.

Roaring Meg

We more than survived the rafting - it was really good fun........once I'd established that the rope was there and I'd checked it out for it's capacity to hold me. That's Pete reassuring me, Meg in disguise and Finn happy because he's not cold yet.

Meg tortured us all by not wanting to come and going through every ruse to avoid it, before I resorted to bribery. She probably enjoyed it the most.......minx! It was the club night, so the river was full of pretty skilful and adventurous Kayakers. Some as young as 11/12 and very adept. We came through the Roaring Meg, which was very poignant as that was exactly what our Meg had been doing earlier. Meg says she is keen to give kayaking another go. Pete says they have the boats in the pool in winter and will let Meg know (his partner is Meg's PE teacher). He says he used to play Canoe Polo with a guy called Calum Anderson from Fort William when he was about 17, so would someone ask Calum if he remembers a Pete Simpson. Very resourceful - runs his jeep on old chip pan oil thrown out from restaurants. Smells like his dinners cooking when he drives past!

Very tired children when we got home.

Death on The Plains

Honest to goodness, I know I THINK about making money all the time, but I surely don't WRITE about it all the time, do I? I look at the google ads and can't believe they are still not coming up with anything more interesting. There will come a time when I may need to knock them on the head.
My job (and I wont mention what it is as it is not going to generate interest), is good for freeing up the mind as I said before when I wrote a novel in my head. But today I spent the whole time fretting about my children and their sad wee lives. It was very draining and I arrived home exhausted. Meg came in smiling and quite well-adjusted and Finn came in telling jokes. Tony burst into the house and told us we were all going WHITE WATER RAFTING (highlighting the interesting bits might help) tomorrow and we needed to find wet suits and life jackets. I did establish that he is not driving the raft, or whatever you do to it, before agreeing. Pete, the very sensible and well qualified Scotsman is going to be the responsible person, so there IS some hope of survival. He then asked Finn if he wanted to go shooting rabbits and Finn was out of his uniform and into his rabbiting socks before I could say "My little boy just wants to go home".
I went and had a tennis lesson at which I performed very badly. I stayed on and had a few games with Maggie. This late home-ness is confirmation for Tony that I am having an affair with the coach. He is surprised at Spooks naivety.
Finn has just come home with his first rabbit, which he killed with a clean shot. Oh, helpmaboab.
Apparently he needs it for science!!!!

Home Sweet Home.

Two wee home-sick children tonight. Meg has been feeling it for the week, and Finn just got thinking about it when he heard Meg upset. They are missing everything and everyone, but particularly the cats. It must have been Angus that cat from the movie. And the poignant thing about the movie is that the Dad wants them all to move to NZ and none of them want to go, so he comes home and they all stay in England. Meg says all her Kiwi friends want to go to Eastbourne now.
Spook and I managed to have quite a nice weekend despite the stress of our sad off-spring. I had a really good hour of tennis with Maggie - we had a well matched game and actually managed some pretty good returns. Spook had a good cycle. Finn went to The Big Bounce (indoor bouncing) and Meg said goodbye to Kate from Dunedin.
Then Spook and I went to gather wood together with neighbour Kate, and Tony and had a lovely time in warm sunshine, with a wee beer to polish it off. When a spot of rain came along it got a bit cold and I noticed a dusting of fresh snow on the peaks above the lake.
I've told the children that come the last day of the ski season, we will be exactly a year since we arrived. Then we will be in our last year and so we need to make a list of all the things we want to do while we are here as now we have three quarters of our time left. This worked quite well. I expect feelings to change regularly, but I would bring the children home after 2 years if that remained very important to them, rather than staying on until the following February, which is a possibility with our visas and Spooks work.

Actually Blue and a Bit Spotty Pants

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/1762193 Ok, so Spook got the story slightly wrong, but if you see these pants anywhere, let the police know.

Yellow and White Checked Pants - has anyone seen them?

Meg is delighted that her lovely friend Kate,who she walked to school with every day when she arrived here, and who left to live in Dunedin in January, has come up to stay with her tonight. She's also a friend of The Crones, so they are all through there, snuggled up with the wee brothers, watching Angus Snogging and Purple Pants - or whatever it's called. Spook and I are knackered and ready for bed, so hoping Meg and Kate will just sneak in later and go to bed quietly. Finn has booked a bed over there.
Finn, Max, Spook and I had a few runs up in the Sticky Woods this afternoon, which was really good fun. We bumped into Ollie and his mate John. Ollie has beaten Spook in two races now and is doing the Mototapu next Saturday. I've decided to invite everyone we know who is doing the Mototapu for a pre Mototapu Mingle and Pasta Party next Friday. There are 2500 cyclists and 900 runners. Thankfully I only know about 11 of them and I daresay if they bring their children, that boosts the numbers a bit, but I think it will still be quite manageable. Wouldn't be good to poison them the night before the race though.
It's a windy but warm night and has a sound of October about it, but not the chill. If it's dry tomorrow, we will go and gather some more wood as the pile is getting chopped down to size.
Spook was telling me that he read in the paper that there was a robbery in an off licence in Queenstown last week. The culprit was caught on CCTV, but his face was obscured. Fortunately, a large amount of boxer shorts, with a very distinctive pattern WAS caught on camera and police are appealing to anyone who recognizes them - bet the robber has pulled his trousers up now!

Warning. These Spears will harm Nothing.

Our little warrior returned - dirty and tired, but having enjoyed a very sociable week. This seems to have been the main aim of the camp. (Just as well it wasn't catching flounders, though some children came VERY well equipped). The children mixed really well and widened their social group. I told Tony I'd pick the boys up. Unfortunately Max got home in an earlier car and the girls found him lying in a grassy patch on the way home, looking like a snow angel without the snow, his baggage lying all around him. He hadn't quite managed over the hill that is Totara Terrace without having to lie down for a wee nap. The girls helped him home. They missed their little brothers and invited them out to the cinema to see Twilight. All 5 children, which included big brother Sam, had pasta in our house, before the movie. It was great to hear them catch up with each others news. The Crone family provide a good buffer zone, albeit a dangerous one at times! It's a week since the tipping over of the truck and I still hear new snippets of information. It took 2 hours to get a rescuer to them as Pete had to find a baby-sitter, due to his wife being out on the town with her friends. Kate and I couldn't help as we were drinking wine. The men found this an uncomfortable situation and sign of the times. All women incapacitated. It got quite cold while they were waiting and the position of the truck made it less than comfortable to sit in. Spook sat on the ground and discovered it was warm. He lay down and looked at the stars. The two boys joined him. Eventually, Tony got down too and all four lay there discussing the night sky. When I told Kate, she was more stunned at the idea of Tony communing with nature, than she was about him trashing their vehicle.

It rained all night last night and was a bit damp this morning so Spook and I went to town and bought our ski passes before the price went up, and had a coffee. We decided it would be ok for him to go on a shorter cycle without me and do a bit of fishing en route. I gave the toilet and bathroom a professional make-over and caught up on paper work. Phew.

Only 3 days to Go

I'm just not sure if I'll be able to survive Spooks 4 days off. I managed to sneak another tea in bed as he had to get up and return the jeep to his workmate, so that was a bonus. But then he dragged me up Mt Roy at a limb screaming rate, followed by a limb screaming descent. I was thinking I could crawl into bed early when he thought it would be lovely to go for an after dinner cycle in Sticky Woods. He described it as a Ruari Watt Paradise of hand cut narrow single track through native Kiwi Bush. I was thinking bad thoughts about Ruari Watt as I clipped in and out of my peddles, negotiating tight corners and narrow tracks with steep inclines to one side, and scooted between trees pulling my elbows in and thinking that Spook needed some more friends. I have to admit, I did feel quite good when we got back home. It really was fun.

(I have to apologise for the commercial aspect of the blog. Wee signs kept popping up telling me to make money on my blog. I was wooed by such rhetoric and finally gave in. It only works if you see very enticing subjects to explore and cant resist clicking. It would seem that rabbits and horse racing is just not grabbing you! I'm not sure what to say that will generate more exciting web sites.)

Anyhoo (as they say here, for some unknown reason), the 50km cycle is still on for tomorrow unless I kind find a friend for Spook before morning.

Looks Like Rain

There was a bit of a cloud in the sky this morning, but it turned out ok. See view of Mount Burke from back door this evening. (Sticky woods in foreground). Spook has finally reached his goal of 4 days off. He's allowed a wee rest before tackling the wood pile.

Actually, he's planning a 50km cycle with me or a run up Mt Roy if it's windy (with me). So bang goes my frittering the day away in the library and reading the paper.

We went out for an iced chocolate drink after tea tonight to help Meg see that some things are not too bad over here.

Finn still has a couple of nights away and we have no idea how it's going. I assume we would have heard something if the flounder spear had gone into anything other than a flounder (broom handle with barbeque double pronged fork strapped to it - courtesy of a rake through the dump).

Elmer Finn

A couple of people have asked if they missed a day on the blog. The picture of the truck on it's side didn't seem to provide enough information. I think I was just incapable of saying too much at that point. I was faced by a grinning husband and son trying to hang their heads and look ashamed. I couldn't think what the expressions meant and then I saw the blood on Spooks elbow. Apparently the worst injuries were inflicted by Tony standing on him to get out of the truck. And it really was a little bunny who outran them and executed a sharp turn better than wot a big truck can. Finn was very excited that he had been in a car accident. They had just been starting on their way back and Tony had just been saying how good it was that the evenings excellent entertainment had only cost them 5 bucks. And then the rabbit appeared out of the hole.
But enough of that.....
Spook looked out the window this morning and said it looked like rain. I looked out the window and saw a very thin line of grey cloud sitting above the mountains in an otherwise blue sky. When I got home and hung out the washing at 2.45pm, it was completely dry an hour later. I don't have the temperature gauge I had at Helwick Street, but I would say it was hot. Sometimes I hang the washing out at bedtime and it's dry in the morning. Dry winds. I worry that if it looks like rain on Spooks 4 days off, he might stay in and read a book!!
Meg is missing Finn. She is feeling a little homesick. She misses her friends, her school and even the purple carpet at home. I think we are in the wee dip after the honeymoon period. Mind you, that was last night and tonight she went straight to the wharf after school and didn't get home until 6pm. I think it's healthy to love home.
As for Finn, he is Elmer Fud. ( I know a joke about him!) I think he would be happy to be Elmer Fud in any country.

4 day off tea issue.

I was telling Spook about the great big black bull I saw at the races and Finn said "What bull?"

"The big black one"

"Where?"

"At the races".

How did he manage to miss a bull this big?

I'm having mild seperation anxieties now that he has gone away for 5 days and I wont hear anything from him until he gets back on Friday afternoon. Chances are, he'll be safer where he is than he was when out shooting rabbits with his father. I was a bit worried by the relish with which he shot out the door this morning, weilding his home-made Flounder spear.

I went to play tennis before Spook got home and when I got home, Spook had gone to get more wood. He will still be splitting it come next Spring (I think that's mid-September)

Only 2 more cups of tea in bed before I will probably have to get up and make Spook a coffee. I don't know if I can do 4 days on/4 days off.

Cromwell Races

When Finn and I arrived at the races, we weren't too sure that we would find much to entertain us. Certainly, the power and beauty of the horses impressed us and the pack of race-day-ready individuals that we saw leaving Wanaka in fine cloths proved to be the minority thankgoodness. There was a Blues Brothers style that seemed to be de rigour for a lot of the young men and some of them even managed to get their buttocks out, within the constraints of this style. It wasn't Ayr Races, but that was fine as we were hoping for something culturally different. We were there for the first race and tried our hand at working out the winner, choosing no 3 Old Jock, as a fond memory, but not realising that we were reading the wrong paper. We were confused when, in the race, no 3 turned out to be called Jack and the winner was called 'Our Bee Jay'. We thought we would have noticed a horse called BJ and that was when we realised we were in the wrong town, and we were betting on a race in Auckland. As the day progressed, we made our way to the other end of the course, where we found a blues band and Spooks work-mate Pete, doing the day in style in a hospitality tent. In the short time I sat with them, I was offered chicken and smoked sausage kebabs, king prawn and scallop kebabs, sandwiches and a glass of champagne. Even Finn could see that a pre-requisite for a day out at The Cromwell Races is a bus and a few beers.